CC MINUTES 05241988 - Laserfiche WebLink

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1 Sundland indicated he could see where such services might be necessary 2 for single parent families but wondered if the country might not be 3 rushing headlong into programs which might not be good for the country 4 as a whole in the long run. The Mayor indicated he could see where 5 large industries might be able to accept this kind of responsibility 6 but thought it might be hard for small businesses like some of those 7 in St. Anthony, with only 30 or 50 employees, to set up a child care 8 service in their own operations and it would be inordinately expensive 9 for them to have to subsidize those kinds of services for their 10 employees elsewhere. 11 Councilmember Marks said he understood many companies were under great 12 pressure to promote women to management positions and are finding one 13 of the incentives they can offer to fill their quotas is to provide 14 day care services. He commented that he perceived tradition had a lot 15 to do with the types of service governments provided, pointing out 16 that in many European Cities the government doesn't provide water for 17 its residents which instead is provided by private companies. 18 Councilmember Marks perceived that St. Anthony had traditionally 19 accepted the concept that organizations other than the City should 20 take care of social programs like child care, and, although such 21 services might be encouraged by zoning and licensing, he perceived 22 the City would have a hard time administering programs like these 23 which the schools are better fitted to administrate. 24 Ranallo agreed that it would all eventually come down to zoning and 25 licensing because the conference had recognized state regulations for 26 the most part were too loose. He said from a safety standpoint it 27 was essential that the police and fire departments both be made aware 28 of locations where there are gatherings of small children. The 29 Councilmember told the Mayor the federal government is already 30 promoting child care programs through tax legislation under which 31 child care costs can be taken out of pre-tax earnings. 32 Enrooth told Mr. Childs he thought it would be very helpful for the 33 Council to find out just how many kinds of child care were being 34 provided in St. Anthony right now. He speculated that with various 35 church programs, Montessori classes, and day care provided out of 36 individual homes, there might be from 20 to 25 child care services 37 already operating in St. Anthony. 38 Sundland reiterated his concern about accepting this new concept 39 without more study suggesting as a start that Councilmember Ranallo 40 from his position on the National League Human Development Committee, 41 let the other commissioners know that at least from his own Council's 42 viewpoint, there was a need for a lot more thought before wholesale 43 encouragement of what could easily become government provided 24 hour 44 child care. The Mayor indicated he personally "had some real 45 reservations about the ability or the legitimacy of governments to 46 raise kids."